Identification of errors that are being made in preparing BOQs in Sri Lankan construction industry

Abstract

The Bill of Quantities (BOQ) is a vital document in both pre contract stage and post contract stage of any construction project. The BOQ impacts three important aspects of a project namely time, cost and quality. Therefore, it is crystal clear that if there is any error in BOQ that would directly affect to the construction project. Since all the stakeholders involved in construction projects are extremely concerned on time, cost and quality aspects, it is critical that the BOQ for the project is error free. Errors occur during both preparation stage and pricing stage of the BOQ. The BOQ preparation errors may relate to pricing errors as well as have an impact on the time, cost, and quality of the project. However the study is focused on identifying most common BOQ preparation errors and find solutions to minimise those errors to support sustainable procurement practice. Initially a semi structured interview was carried out to identify errors made in preparing BOQs and find reasons for the errors. Eventually, a questionnaire survey was done to identify the most significant errors that are made and how those errors would affect the project. The surveys revealed that quantity errors as the most common error during the BOQ preparation stage, which becomes critical based on the type of the procurement method adopted. Employing experienced person as a reviver was identified as the most preferable solution for minimising preparation errors. Further it was found that people involved have a greater impact on the BOQ preparation process and its accuracy.